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Hedley, Ralph (1883-1911)

Hedley, Ralph

11 New Bridge Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; carver, art furniture manufacturer and merchant (fl.1883-1911)

Hedley carved a reredos for the church of St Thomas, John Street, Bishop Wearmouth [The Furniture Gazette, 10 March 1883] and a reredos for St Cuthbert’s Church, Newcastle [in The Furniture Gazette, 1 February 1888].   

He was listed as an art furniture manufacturer & merchant in The Furniture Gazette: Classified List of the Furniture, Upholstery, and Allied Trades (1886).

This was probably the same R. Hedley, whose work appeared in the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society, London, 1888; an oak cabinet, designed and exhibited by T.R. Spence, executed by R. Hedley (cat. no. 291a.).

Census records Ralph Hedley as wood carver, master employing 9 men, 1 woman and 5 boys (1881 at the age of 32), sculptor (1891) and artist and wood carver (1901 and 1911).  He was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire in 1849, son of joiner, and he lived in Newcastle-upon-Tyne all his working life. 

Source: Arts & Crafts Exhibition catalogues, 1888-1916.